Smoke-producing composition



Patented Nov. 12, 1946 2,411,070 SMOKE-PRODUCIN G COMPOSITION QFFICEJoseph W. Van Karner, New York, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application December 17, 1943,

Serial No. 514,654

7 Claims. (01. 252 305) The present invention relates to a compositionfor use in distress signals and other devices which may be caused toemit a stream of smoke.

Distress signals capable of emitting a stream of smoke which will riseinto the sky for sub- .stantial heights, may be used by those at sea, in

deserts, forests, etc, so that searchin parties may locate them. Theyare particularly useful in indicating the position of persons lost atsea, as a rising column of smoke, if of the proper color, may be seenfor great distances by searching ships or aircraft.

A smoke for signal purposes should be of such a color as to be visibleagainst the surrounding background for the greatest distance. Also, itshould be of such a nature that it will tend to cling together in theform of a dense cloud, as the distance at which such smoke is visibledecreases as the smoke disperses and loses its density.

- It has been determined that a dark orangecolored smoke is Visible forsubstantially greater distances at sea than smoke of other colors.Hence, as one of the main uses for distress signals is to indicate theposition of persons lost at sea, the object of the present invention isto provide a composition which, on burning, will produce a smoke of darkorange color and of such a nature that it tends to cling together in theform of a dense cloud.

The composition which I have found to be most satisfactory in producinga smoke of the desired color and density, comprises oil-orange color,potassium chlorate or potassium perchlorate, a substance such as sugar,which is the source of carbon and heat, and relatively small amounts ofsilica-gel and ammonium sulfate, which will further increase the densityof the smoke.

The term oil-orange color is used herein to designate an orange color ofan oily nature. When the other constituents of the smoke-producingcomposition are burned, the oil-orange color will be vaporized orVolatilized and impart an orange color to the smoke, and the oilypar-ticles which subsequently condense in the rising column of smoke arecarried along with it and form nuclei to which particles of the smokecling, thereby causing the smoke to be maintained in the form of a densecolumn or cloud. The oilorange color may be Sudan I Oil Orange, SchultzNo. 36, which is made from aniline and beta naphthol, or any othercompound or composition which on vaporization or volatilization willhave the property of imparting an orange color to the smoke, and whichon subsequent condensation of ,tained within rather narrow limits. isadded, the composition is not sumciently inportions thereof in therising smoke will form particles to act as nuclei to which the particlesof smoke cling. The oil-orange color should be present in thecomposition in an amount from about 50% to The sugar is added to thecomposition to the extent of about 14% to 24%. The sugar is the sourceof carbon and heat which enables the composition to burn and give auniform heat to vaporize the oil-orange color. The sugar may bedextrose, glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, or mixtures thereof.Commercial corn sugar consisting of a mixture of dextrose and glucosehas been found particularly satisfactory. In some instances, the sugarmay be replaced by other materials such as starch, dextrin, charcoal,lampblack, sawdust, etc., all of which are sources of carbon and heatand will enable the composition to burn and produce a uniform heat.

The potassium chlorate, or the potassium perchlorate, being a strongoxidizing agent, renders the composition readily ignitable. The amountthereof added to the composition should be main- If too littleflammable; if too much is added, the composition will burn with suchvigor that the oil-orange color will be destroyed, with the oil thereofbeing carbonized and imparting a black color to the resulting smoke. Inorder that the composition may be readily ignited and may burn with thedesired rapidity, the amount of potassium chlorate should be maintainedbetween about 14% and 24%.

As the composition ordinarily will be ignited and burned in a containerwhich is closed, except for a small emission opening, as disclosed in myapplication Serial No. 513,798, filed December 10, 1943, the use ofsugar in combination with potassium chlorate or potassium perchlorate isparticularly desirable, as the two, on burning, form a gas which createsthe necessary pressure to expel the smoke through the smoke-emissionopening and causes it to leave the container in the form of a densestream of relatively small cross-sectional dimensions. Such a streamwill rise to great heights without becoming dispersed to an extent whichwill prevent it from being visible for miles.

The ammonium sulfate is added to the composition as it further increasesthe density of the smoke and causes it to cling together. Relativelysmall amounts are sufficient. As little as .5% or 1% of ammonium sulfatewill materially increase the density of the smoke. However, in

amount of silica-gel present may be as little as.

1% on a dry basis, although in some cases as much as 5% may be founddesirable.

All of the above amounts are by Weight.

A composition which I have found to be particularly desirable inproducing a dark orangecolored dense smoke consists of Per :centOil-orange color 59 Potassium chlorate 19 Sugar (commercial corn sugar)19 Silica-gel '2 Ammonium sulfate 1 A composition comprising oil-orangecolor, potassiumchlorate, sugar, silica-gel and ammonium sulfate in theamounts herein set forth, on burning, will yield large amounts of smokewhich first is of yellow-green color, but which gradually turns toa-dark orange color. The smoke is quite dense and will rise to a greatheight while still clinging together in the form of a dense column orcloud, visible for many miles.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the present inventionprovides a composition which is readily ignited, will burn uniformly atthe desired rate, with the liberation of the proper amount of heat tovaporize the oil-orange color without destroying it, and which willproduce large volumes of dense smoke of dark orange color visible at seafor many miles.

What I claim is:

1. A smoke producing composition comprising from about 50% to about 70%of oil-orange color, from about 14% to about 24% of an inorganic saltwhich liberates oxygen on heating, from about 14% to about 24% of acarbon-containing combustible material, and from about 0.5% to about 5%ammonium sulfate, said amounts being by weight.

2. A smoke producing composition comprising from about to about ofoil-orange color, from about 14% to about 24% of potassium chlorate,from about 14% to about 24% of a carboncontaining combustible material,and from about 0.5% to about 5% of ammonium sulfate, said amounts beingby weight.

3. A smoke producing composition comprising from about 50% to about 70%of oil-orange color, from about 14% to about 24% of potassiumperchlorate, from about 14% to about 24% of a carbon-containingcombustible material, and from about 0.5% to about 5% of ammoniumsulfate, said amounts being by weight.

4. A smoke producing composition comprising from about 50% to about 70%of oil-orange color, from about 14% to about 24% of a carbon-containingcombustible material, from about 14% to about 24% of at least one sugar,and from about 0.5% to about 5% of ammonium sulfate, said amounts beingby weight.

5. A smoke producing composition comprising about 50% of oil-orangecolor, about 19% of an inorganic salt which liberates oxygen on heating,about 19% of a carbon-containing combustible material, about 2% ofsilica-gel, on a dry basis, and about 1% of ammonium sulfate, saidamounts being by weight.

6. A smoke producing composition comprising from about 50% to about 70%of oil-orange color, about 19% of an inorganic salt which liberatesoxygen on heating, about 19% of a carbon-containing combustiblematerial, about 2% of silicagel, on a dry basis, and about 1% ofammonium sulfate, said amounts being by weight.

7. A smoke producing composition comprising about 59% of 0il-0rangecolor, about 19% of potassium chlorate, about 19% of at least one sugar,about 2% of silica-gel, on a dry basis, and about 1% ammonium sulfate.

JOSEPH W, VAN KARN'ER.

